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Helping Hands, HC3, Living Water dependent on help of volunteers

(Editor's Note: With April 10-16 being National Volunteer Week, this is part three of a four-part series about the importance of volunteers in certain organizations throughout the community.)Three local organizations with the goal of helping citizens consider volunteers extremely important to the work that they do.Mary-Kay Phelan of Helping Hands says the organization always has its highs and lows when it comes to volunteers and could always use more volunteers to help with things like computer entries, yard work, painting the building, electric work, installing a air conditioning unit, and much more. Phelan said, “This place wouldn't be running with out the volunteer's and also its the big heart of the volunteers that help the community.” Anyone wanting to lend a hand at Helping Hands can contact Phelan at Helping Hands Monday-Thursday in the afternoons at 273-5601 or e-mail her at marykp@cableone.net. At the Hutchinson County Crisis Center, Norma Luginbyhl said that volunteers are a “very critical” need for the shelter. HC3 is always looking for volunteers to help answer the hotlines, help with fund raising, the front desk, maintenance, and some times even automotive work. Luginbyhl said the shelter is “like running a home” and the center is in need help with repairs. Some of the volunteers are required to have certain training, but some are not. A few of the volunteers working at the Hutchinson County Crisis Center are Marilyn Erickson, Chester Carlson, Linda Chisum, and Fran Braden. “You don't have to be here all the time. I just want to know I have someone to call and get help and really count on. Its hard to get volunteers that are willing to be there.” Luginbyhl said. “They [volunteers] give you things and services you can't afford. Without them, you wouldn't be able to accomplish so much.”Becky Dietz of Living Water Ministries stated that without volunteers, those involved “wouldn't have a ministry and wouldn't be able to function.” She also continued to say that the volunteers help in many ways such as helping bag groceries and delivering them to the cars, sorting clothing and even shopping for clothing. The volunteers put a lot of work into Living Water, around 300 hours a month. Dietz stated that they are always looking for help in sorting clothing, because it does come in daily, or even keeping things on order and organized. Some of the volunteers for Living Water are Cairl Horst, Zella McKinney, Janice Williams, Gib Welch, Duane Snyder, Lanell White, Sandra Keys, George Nies, Cindy Nugent, Carol Collett, Sharon Vazquez, Burton Williams, Rodger Smith, Micah Scheffler, and a few others. They are always open to new faces. Anyone who is interested in helping can contact Dietz at 274-6434.